Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa

Aston Villa pushed Chelsea all the way but fell to a hard-fought 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Dean Smith’s side gave as good as they got against the Champions League and Super Cup champions but were undone by goals in either half from Romelu Lukaku and Mateo Kovacic, before the former added his second of the evening in injury time.

Lukaku broke clear to slot home Kovacic’s throughball in the 15^th minute, before the Croatia international capitalised on a defensive mix-up early in the second half to double the hosts’ advantage.

Chelsea's club-record summer signing Lukaku then drilled a third into the top corner from the edge of the area in the 93^rd minute to add a cruel reflection on the scoreline for battling Villa.

Dean Smith’s side forced Edouard Mendy into a series of fine saves throughout, with Ollie Watkins, Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa among those denied by the Blues goalkeeper.

The reverse leaves Villa with just one victory in their last 17 league visits to Stamford Bridge stretching back to 2002.

Jed Steer was handed his third Premier League start and first since November 2019, with Emi Martínez absent due to his international involvement for Argentina and the requirement to comply with the UK’s Covid quarantine regulations.

With compatriot Emi Buendía also unavailable for the encounter, Dean Smith made a total of five changes from the 1-1 draw against Brentford prior to the international break - captain Tyrone Mings returning alongside John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins.

A frantic start to proceedings saw both sides create openings inside the early exchanges, the hosts going closest when Callum Hudson-Odoi’s inswinging corner in the ninth minute looked goalbound before Konsa directed on to the crossbar and away.   

But it was the hosts who opened the scoring courtesy of Lukaku, who was sent clear by Kovacic’s inch-perfect throughball and cut inside Axel Tuanzebe before slotting home.

Watkins saw his low strike parried behind by Mendy as Villa went in search of an immediate equaliser, before the fit-again striker then rounded the Blues goalkeeper only to be thwarted Thiago Silva.

Villa were more than holding their own and Douglas Luiz fired over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area, before both Mings and Konsa were both denied by Mendy in quick succession following Matty Cash’s long throw-in just after the half-hour mark.

Ramsey was next to be denied by Mendy just before half-time as Villa could count themselves unfortunate to be behind at the break.

Yet the visitors found themselves 2-0 down within four minutes of the restart as Kovacic pounced on Mings’ loose back pass to slot home.

Watkins saw his shot deflected over as Villa continued to search for the breakthrough they deserved.

Substitute Bertrand Traore, against his former club, saw his long-range strike deflected narrowly over in the 73^rd minute, before Konsa’s header was kept out by Mendy from the subsequent corner.

Marcos Alonso sent a low left-footed effort just wide before Watkins again tested Mendy at the other end but it was Chelsea who ran out victors, Lukaku hammering home a third past a helpless Steer in added time.

Villa will now be looking to get back to winning ways against Everton next Saturday.